Monday, September 22, 2014

On my honor I will try....

Lucy takes swimming at the Boys and Girls Club - and she loves swimming 
But we've been trying to get her to branch out
Especially since we just found out that there is no swimming at the club this fall

We've offered to sign her up for soccer (no thanks, I like playing with Daddy out back) 
We've tried dance (no, I just like dancing at home with you and Daddy) 
We even tried Karate (no, I just do karate when I listen to Kung Fu Fighting) 
We even suggested horseback riding (no thanks, I'll just do that when we go to Davis Farmland) 
We won't pressure her to do anything but we don't shy away from letting her know she has options and we'll support whatever she'd like to try 

Last week, in her folder from school, was a flyer from the Girl Scouts of America 
It was an invitation to a recruiting event
I looked over the flyer and called out to Lucy

Hey Luce, would you like to try the Girl Scouts?
What do Girl Scouts do Mama? I don't even know who they are...

She was sitting at her desk arranging her animal cards

Well, the Girl Scouts…hmm, who are the Girl Scouts….

She walked into the kitchen and sort of held up her out stretched arms while shrugging her shoulders

Yeah Mumma, what do they do? I never even heard of them…are they new or somethin’?

Well let’s see, they uhh… well, they do projects and help people in the community….

Lucy hopped up onto the chair next to me, her elbows on the table, her chin propped up in her hands as she listened to m

I trailed off because I really had no idea how to explain the Girl Scouts
So I picked up the flyer and started reading

At Girl Scouts, you are always looking forward to the next adventure

Mumma! Lucy yelled excitedly, as she threw her hands up and grinned

 I LOVE going on adventures!!!! I love adventures and expotitions!

There’s more honey, listen…..

I continued reading

You’ll learn a new outdoor skill,
I love outdoors and, and, and I need more skills!!!

Create an artistic masterpiece
Mumma I’m an artist! I draw!

Try a science experiment and help your community I finished off

I thought Lucy’s head was going to explode

She stood up on her chair and with her arms out stretched declared

Mumma! You know how I love me a science experiment!!!
And help my community!
Of course I’ll help – remember how I helped you pick up the trash last week in our circle?!?!!? That’s like helping your community right?
And I always wave at everyone and get out of the way when a car is coming!

I read the last line

At Girl Scouts, you’ll make new friends and have a variety of new experiences that show you how exciting the world is and how awesome you are

Mumma! I think I should be a Girl Scout!! I love making new friends and having adventures and I am already almost awesome!! And I think it would be fun to have…..what was that word Mumma?

Which word I asked
The word I did not know
I read the statement again
That word! She yelled as soon as I said variety

I think maybe I need variety Mumma!! I think Girl Scouts is for me!!!

So should we check out the meeting I asked her

You bet Mumma she said with a wink of her eye and a click of her tongue as she gave me the thumbs up sign

Sign me up baby!! Sign me up!


Look out Girl Scouts of America, Lucy’s coming…….

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Three Things, Five Days

One of the best things about technology today, and one of the worst things about technology, is that ­everything goes viral at some point

Like challenges and memes

A week ago, my dear friend Donna challenged me to come up with Three Positives/Things I am Grateful for over the course of five days

All I had to do for five days was post a list of three things that are positives in my life, or three things I am grateful for

So I did what most people do but don’t admit: I trolled around to see what other people had said they were grateful for or were positives

The lists included family, kids, husband, waking up, coffee, job, roof over head
I even saw one person grateful for medicinal pot
Some included wine, pizza, chocolate and one person is ever so grateful for their antidepressant pills and therapy – I say keep it up sista’ and good for you for doing what you gotta do to stay happy and healthy

So then I sat down to do mine…..

And I of course put my own spin on it

My husband would tell you it’s because I am an over achiever

And I suppose a part of me is…but is that really a bad thing?

Really, for me, this was just a chance to write

Something I’ve not done for a couple weeks and it felt good to get some of the thoughts swirling around in my head down on paper

But because not everyone hangs out on Facebook, I’d thought I’d also share here what I posted on Facebook for five days 
Which ironically, I’ll then post on Facebook that I posted a blog for people not on Facebook….it’s how I roll

Three Positives/Things I am Grateful For in Five Days

Day One
3 Positives/Things I am Grateful for in my Life

1. Humor
Without humor, the world would be ever so boring
And I’m guessing sad
So for the things and people who make me laugh, I owe a debt of gratitude
Humor has gotten me through some of my darkest days and made my best days even brighter
Slapstick, deadpan, self-deprecating, satire, parody, black comedy, wit and sarcasm…thanks for making me laugh

And of course Good Humor, thanks for your Giant Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches and Frozen Reese Peanut Butter Cups

2. The Arts
The arts are an outlet for human expressions and emotions
Without the arts, we would not sing or dance
We would not have poetry to woo our loves or stories to lose ourselves in
We would not have paintings or photos to admire and adore
Without The Arts we would not have museums to wander through, preserved history. or culinary delights
So to The Arts, thank you for delighting my senses and always telling me the truth

And of course, thank you for the Martial Arts because without the martial arts, we never would have had The Karate Kid and without the Karate Kid, I would have no reason to yell Banzai! out my open window while driving down the street

3. Freedom
The quality or state of being free
You have no idea how grateful I am for my freedom
Free will, free thought, free tacos on Tuesday
I love freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of religion
I’m not sure how I feel about the Freedom of Information Act because I do think that some things are better left unsaid and unknown
I am however a huge fan of buy anything get anything free
But the best thing about freedom? About being free?

Why it is of course the 1972 recording Free to be Me and You … thank you Marlo Thomas and Friends

Humor, The Arts and Freedom – my first three positives
Day Two 
3 Positives/Things I am Grateful for in my Life

1. The Law 

I am ever so grateful for The Law
Even the laws I’ve broken 

I like knowing there are laws to govern our land - saves us from Chaos
And just because I like laws and rules does not mean I can’t think for myself
It does not mean I'm a sheep 
It does not mean I am against free will
It means I find comfort in order
It means that I find comfort in knowing that there is a certain level of respect being afforded to all of us 
And it means we're all on even footing because the laws, like it or not, apply to all of us regardless of anything or anyone

I appreciate The Law because it helps keep things in order, people in line and an underlying sense of security (no matter how perverted) for the masses
I am grateful for The Law because its intention was to protect the good guys and prosecute the bad guys 

And who are we kidding, without The Law, there would have been no Boston Legal, The Practice LA Law, Ali McBeal, and Drop Dead Diva 
There would be no Law and Order franchise and JAG would have never produced CSI, and John Grisham would not have had a career 

And because without The Law, single women in Florida would be allowed to parachute on Sundays and we all know where that would lead

So thanks to The Law for protecting and entertaining us at the same time 

2. Faith, Hope and Love 

All three things are free and will last a lifetime 

I am grateful for faith, for my faith 
It restores in me humility, fortitude, patience, love, and acceptance
The music soothes me, the readings inspire me and the homilies challenge me
Mass, prayers, faith...it's been a bigger comfort than I ever thought it could be 

Hope is such a small word with such a big impact 
Without hope, we have nothing
Hope overshadows the negative and lights the way for the positive
I am grateful for hope as it gives me something to cling to when I need it most 
I hope for safety, security, good health, and happiness 
Hope is something we all need and should never be without

Love, *sigh*
Love for my family, my friends and my foes
Love of the game, love of common people
Being loved gives you strength, loving gives you courage
Love brings joy, happiness, hugs and sometimes tears
But love is just, well, it is just the best thing, feeling, emotion ever
And sometimes it’s all you need

Without faith, hope and love this life would not be worthwhile

How lucky am I to have all three?

3. Electricity 

Do I really need to expand on this?
It lights up my life, keeps my food cold, warms it up and cooks it for me 

You certainly would not be sitting there reading this so how grateful are you for electricity right now

Plus, without electricity, we would not have The Electric Company which was only like my favorite show ever...

The Law, Faith, Hope, Love and Electricity - my second set of three positives
Day Three 
And here you thought I forgot...just a little late...so these are quick 

Three Positives/Things I am Grateful for in my Life

1. My Five Senses 
I can see, hear, taste, smell and feel the entire world 
I can hear Lucy's laugh, see the animals in the clouds, taste the foods I love, smell the air just before a storm and feel Sean’s hand in mine

How lucky am I to experience the world with all five senses

2. Sean asked me to marry him 
On the 4th of July, in 2006 
He asked me to spend the rest of my life, and his, as his wife
I said yes

How lucky am I that someone felt I was worthy enough to spend forever with 

3. I get to be a Mum 
There is a little person with my DNA walking around this world loving me unconditionally 
She makes me laugh, sometimes makes me cry, but mostly makes me happy 
And when I look at her, when I see her smile, when I hear her say You’re my best Mumma and I love you this much, I know what I am supposed to do in this lifetime and who I am supposed to be 

How lucky am I to have been chosen to be a Mum 

My Five Senses, Sean asked me to marry him and I get to be a Mum – my third set of positives
I did not forget day four - but I did fall asleep 

Day Four
Three Positives/Things I am Grateful for in my Life

1. Intuition 
I am ever so grateful for my intuition - I'm even more grateful I trust it 
Some confuse it with being judgmental
I'm guessing that is because they don't trust their own 

2. Technology 
Out of one side of my mouth, I damn it
Out of the other side I wonder how I would live without it 
But without technology, think of all we would be missing 

3. My gift for gab 
I'm a talker
I love talking 
And I can engage just about anyone....I get it from my Dad...it's once people get to know me they don't like me so much anymore...

I find it very easy and comforting to just sit and chat with people about whatever comes to mind 
It's amazing the connection you can make when you simply make eye contact and acknowledge what they are saying
And it's even more amazing what you can learn from people...all from small talk....

Intuition, Technology and my Gift for Gab - my fourth set of positives

Day Five
Three Positives/Things I am Grateful for in my Life

1. I am ever so grateful for people who are able to see Lucy as I see her

Full of wit, charm, intelligence, passion, love, honesty, innocence, empathy, humor, and yeah, some drama

And I know she can be loud and I know she fidgets and runs around when she should sit still and that she’s a messy eater and a picky eater and a terrible sleeper…....but this kid, she is something special

The way she sees the world, the way she articulates the way she sees the world...she is just amazing

And I am ever so grateful for the people in her life who have been able to really see into her little heart and mind…..and truly appreciate her (I’m talking to you Miss Barbara Cann and Miss Julie!) 

2. My Memory

My grandmother suffered from dementia/Alzheimer
It got to a point where she recognized/remembered very little…and very few people 
It made me sad to see her grow old but made me even more sad that she did not have her memories to comfort her 

I knew a young woman who had a stroke years ago
It took her a couple of years but she recovered
Unfortunately, there was one lasting side effect which will probably never go away: she lost some of her long term memory/memories 
She has no recollection of her wedding day or the births of her children
She lost her parents a few years before her stroke
Their pictures hung on her walls but could not remember their names 

I am so fortunate to still have my memory (even if sometimes I forget where my keys are and why I walked into the living room or where I put the stack of paperwork I had in my hand three minutes again) 

I have my memory and my memories

I remember trips to Aunt Nell and Uncle Ed’s and Aunt Sue and Uncle Mike’s as a kid
I remember the smell of gingersnaps at Christmas
I remember the way Grandma used to knit without looking at what she was doing
I remember how Grandpa would sit in that big old red chair and fidget with the little cover on the arm digging holes it in with his keys 
I remember spending Saturday nights at Grammy and Grampy’s and time at the house in Seal Harbor with them 
I remember my teachers who instilled in me a love of learning and reading 

I can hear my Dad’s deep yet soothing voice in my head when I need to be reassured about something 
I can conjure up my mother’s smile and laugh when I need it most

I remember how I felt when I met Sean, when I had Lucy

I have my memory and my memories to comfort and cuddle me when I need them most 

3. It should go without saying my husband, daughter, parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles, and friends (new and old) are all positives in my life

They’ve all brought into my life laughter, love, hugs, and kisses
Sometimes tears, arguments, fights and pain but always a lesson 
They’ve given me encouragement and criticism 
They’ve been with me in my ups and downs….and though sometimes we lose track of one another, we always seem to come full circle 

And they always manage to do it when I need them most 

So even though it should go without saying, sometimes, it’s nice just to say it – to remind myself, and them, how important they are to me and how grateful I am to have them in my life 

So there are my final three positive for five days - Those who see Lucy as I do, My Memory and Family and Friends 

Thanks Donna Vitiello Dovidio for reminding me to stop and appreciate what I have.....